Thursday, May 31, 2012

Vágtázó Halottkémek - "Semmi Kapuin Dörömbölve" [1992]

Artist: Vágtázó Halottkémek
Title: Semmi Kapuin Dörömbölve
Label: Alternative Tentacles
Genre: Folk Rock, Avant-Prog
Country: Hungary
Release date: 1992

Track List:
  1. Hunok csatája
  2. Aláírhatatlan történelem
  3. Az én lőrései
  4. Feltámadt kép
  5. Ősvilág
  6. Álmodom
  7. Botrányos probléma
  8. Örökkévalóság
  9. Halló, mindenség! II.
  10. Nincs más megoldás

Vágtázó Halottkémek aka VHK, formed in Budapest in 1975, were one of the most unique and innovative Hungarian progressive rock bands. There's a lot of bands in Hungary whose music is inspired by Hungarian (and Uralic/Altaic in general) mythology and epos, but VHK really stand out even among them, being a very dedicated concept band.

While I haven't heard anything of VHK been influenced by Rock In Opposition or similar movements, their music is quite hard to get into, quite comparable to most of RIO bands in this regard. Their style ranges from shamanic/psychedelic rock (this album, the most-well known release of them) to hardcore and even metal (some of their earlier releases), but the influence of Hunnic culture and pantheistic beliefs (Tengrianism?..) is always evident. Very original and sophisticated music, but definitely not for everyday listening.


Sunday, May 27, 2012

Samla Mammas Manna - s/t [1971]

Artist: Samla Mammas Manna
Title: Samla Mammas Manna
Genre: Avant-Prog
Country: Sweden
Release date: 1971

Track List:
  1. Circus Apparatha
  2. Pausus
  3. Vidgat Läge
  4. Släde till Satori
  5. Schekina
  6. Uvertyr till Snäll Häst
  7. Flickan i Skogen
  8. Manna Jamma
  9. At-One-Ment
  10. Skrik från Embassy
  11. Fittravisan
  12. E'Pop Tai
  13. Circus Impala (bonus)
  14. Lawrence in Sahara (bonus)

One more album by Samla Mammas Manna, full of silly humour, circus references, excellent musicianship, and everything else that SMM are known for. Personally I like this one and "Klossa Knapitatet" more than "Måltid" (widely perceived as their best albums), or their later works under different names ("Zamla Mammas Manna", "Von Zamla", Lars Hollmer's solo albums), characterized by somewhat more serious approach to music.


Samla Mammas Manna - "Klossa Knapitatet" [1974]

Artist: Samla Mammas Manna
Title: Klossa Knapitatet
Genre: Avant-Prog
Country: Sweden
Release date: 1974

Track List:
  1. Ingenting
  2. Liten Dialektik
  3. Sucken
  4. Långt Ner I Ett Kannihål (liten tuva stjälper ofta stort lass)
  5. Kom Lite Närmare
  6. Musmjölkningmaskinen
  7. Influenser
  8. Klossa Knapitatet
  9. Ramlösa Kvällar

Samla Mammas Manna were one of the 5 original RIO bands (along with Univers Zero, Henry Cow, Stormy Six, and Etron Fou Leloublan; later followed by Art Bears, Art Zoyd and Aksak Maboul), but their music is actually rather far from RIO. SMM undoubtedly were virtuous musicians, but they preferred to play much more lighthearted music strongly influenced by Canterbury scene and Swedish progg movement. Seems like they also shared the ideology behind the progg scene, as the album name,"Klossa Knapitatet", is an obvious pun on "Krossa Kapitalet" ("Smash the Capital").


Miriodor - s/t [1988]

Artist: Miriodor
Title: Miriodor
Label: Cuneiform Records
Genre: Avant-Prog
Country: Canada (Quebec)
Release date: 1988

Track List:
  1. Regards
  2. Spirale / Spiral
  3. Marche Funebre / Funeral March
  4. Valence
  5. Piège / Trap
  6. Suspicion I
  7. Insomnie Prémonitoire / Premonitory Insomnia
  8. Réseau / Network
  9. En Attendant Rémi / Waiting for Rémi
  10. Pleine Lune / Full Moon
  11. Suspicion II
  12. Oriflamme
  13. Convoi Nocturne / Nocturnal Procession
  14. Moyen Âge / Middle Ages

Ugly album cover, but beautiful music. It's the only album by Miriodor I've heard so far, and it's quite good (I heard all their later albums are better, though). Not sure if they're comparable to 80's Art Zoyd, Univers Zero and other RIO bands (I think Miriodor are more melodic and not that overtly "avant-garde"). But just like in case with Art Zoyd, I can surely say it's music for listening at night.


Thursday, May 17, 2012

Univers Zero - "Implosion" [2004]

Artist: Univers Zero
Title: Implosion
Label: Cuneiform Records
Genre: Avant-Prog
Country: Belgium
Release date: 2004

Track List:
  1. Suintement (Oozing)
  2. Falling Rain Dance
  3. Partch's X-Ray
  4. Rapt D'Abdallah
  5. Miroirs (Mirrors)
  6. La Mort de Sophocle (Sophocle's Death)
  7. Ectoplasme
  8. Temps Neufs
  9. Mellotronic
  10. Bacteria
  11. Out of Space 4
  12. First Short Dance
  13. Second Short Dance
  14. Variations on Mellotronic's Theme
  15. A Rebours (In Revers)
  16. Meandres (Meanderings)

Here's my favourite album by RIO classics Univers Zero. It's definitely nowhere near as "dark" or avant-garde as their classic releases like "Heresie" or "1313", but I like the mood and atmosphere of this album (as well as the cover art). Maybe I'm not a real fan of avant-prog, but I never pretended to be one :P Anyway, here's the kind of progressive rock I like the most - melancholic, "cosmic" (as opposed to UZ's early releases, which carry a "creepy", horror-movie atmosphere), melodic yet full of electronic noisy parts.


Ahvak - s/t [2004]

Artist: Ahvak
Title: Ahvak
Genre: Avant-Prog
Country: Israel
Release date: 2004

Track List:
  1. Vivisection
  2. Bertha
  3. Regaim
  4. Dust
  5. Cement
  6. Yawners
  7. Ironworks

"Most of AHVAK members met through an internet prog-rock forum in Israel. They started rehearsing but didn't work seriously until drummer and composer Dave Kerman (5UU'S, THINKING PLAGUE, U-TOTEM, PRESENT etc.) came to Israel and joined the band. Their debut album was released on Cuneiform Records in the USA and got some pretty flattering reviews" (

Besides that, not much is known about Ahvak. Don't even know if they recorded their 2nd album, but their debut one is quite interesting. It's probably the one and only RIO-influenced avant-prog release from Israel (correct me if there are any others).


Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Art Zoyd - "Le Mariage Du Ciel Et L'Enfer" [1984]

Artist: Art Zoyd
Title: Le Mariage Du Ciel Et L'Enfer
Genre: Avant-Prog
Country: France
Release date: 1984

Track List:
  1. Sortie 134 - Part 1
  2. Cryogenèse - Rêve Artificiel
  3. IO 1
  4. IO 2
  5. IO 3
  6. Mouvance 2
  7. Mouvance 1
  8. Cryogenèse - Les Portes du Futur
  9. Sortie 134 - Part 2

Along with Univers Zero, Art Zoyd are probably one of the best known bands in the whole Rock In Opposition movement. Most of their albums aren't that hard to find, so I won't post their complete discography here. However, I'd like to post one of their lesser known, but nevertheless great albums - "Le Mariage Du Ciel Et L'Enfer". Recorded in 1984, this album isn't as "electronic" as their later releases, but no less "dark" and experimental. According to the release notes, "Le Mariage Du Ciel Et L'Enfer" is actually music for some ballet by Roland Petit. Unfortunately, my knowledge of ballet is very limited, so I won't comment on this...